功能对等视角下中国特色政治词汇英译-以《经济学人》为例_英语论文

On English Translation of Political Vocabulary with Chinese Characteristics from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence—A Case Study of The Economist

摘要

近几十年来，中国经济迅猛发展，在国际舞台上有着越来越深厚的影响力，中西交流日益频繁。翻译，作为文化传播的重要手段，在中国对外交往中起着不可忽视的作用。而中国政治特色词汇，作为中国政治特色文化的重要载体，愈发得到人们的关注。中国政治特色文化词汇的精准翻译也就成为译者的一项重要任务也是一个巨大的挑战。

《经济学人》杂志主要关注政治商业方面的新闻，文章内容幽默但有力度，严肃又不失诙谐，并且注重于如何在最小的篇幅内告诉读者最多的信息。《经济学人》可谓是一份在政经方面的权威杂志，深受各类社会精英的喜爱。其在2012年开辟的中国专栏中出现了大量的中国政治方面的特色词汇。本文将以《经济学人》为例从功能对等的角度研究归化和异化在中国特色政治词汇的翻译中的应用。个案研究将选取2015年上半年中国专栏中的文章。

关键词：中国特色政治词汇；功能对等；《经济学人》；归化；异化

Abstract

For the past decades, China has developed in leaps and bounds, bringing about its rapid economic achievements and strong influences in international affairs. Communications between China and the West is more frequent than ever before. Translation, an important means of cultural transmission, is playing an indispensable role in China’s diplomacy. While Chinese vocabulary with political characteristics, as a significant way to propagate Chinese political culture, is attracting people’s attention. Therefore it becomes an important mission and a great challenge for translators to translate this kind of vocabulary correctly.

The Economist focuses on political and business news and features humorous and precise articles, trying to give information with scales as small as it can. Known as an authority magazine, it is popular with social elites. Articles in China column set up in 2012 are full of political expressions with Chinese characteristics. This paper will explore the application of domestication and foreignization for the translation of political vocabulary with Chinese characteristics from the perspective of functional equivalence, choosing The Economist as a case study, mainly articles in the China Column in the first half year of 2015.

Key words: political expressions with Chinese characteristic; functional equivalence; The Economist; domestication; foreignization

Contents

1 Introduction 1

2 Literature Review 2

2.1 About The Economist 2

2.2 About Functional Equivalence 2

2.3 Previous Studies on the Translation of Vocabulary with Chinese Characteristics 4

3 On English Translation of Political Vocabulary with Chinese Characteristics from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence—A Case Study of The Economist 4

3.1 The Difficulties for the Translation of Political Vocabulary with Chinese Characteristic 5

3.1.1 The Differences in Cultures and Traditions 5

3.1.2 The Differences in Political Backgrounds 6

3.2 Strategies for the Translation of Political Vocabulary with Chinese Characteristics in The Economist from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence 6

3.2.1 Application of Foreignization in the Translation of Political Vocabulary with Chinese Characteristics in The Economist 7

3.2.2 Application of Domestication in the Translation of Political Vocabulary with Chinese Characteristics in The Economist 11

4 Conclusion 12

References 14